Bottle-capping machine.



E. E. WINKLEY.

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man FEB. 24. 1913.

' LWAQ. L Patented Mar.26,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. E. WINKLEY. BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 53.24. r913.

1,260,499. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

5 SHEET$-SHEET 2- @mm 4 a MWW 'W I E. ELWINKLEY.

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1913.

1,260,499. Patemamr. 26,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. E. WINKLEY.

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-24.19I3.

LQGOAW. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- E. E. WINKLEY.

BOTTLE CAPPLNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. um.

. 1 $60,499. I Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

EBASTUS .E. wmKLEY, or LYNN, massncnosnr'rs.

BOTTLE-GAPI'ING mnonmn.

' Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Capping Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled'in'the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to machines for applying and securing crown caps to bottles. As well knownto those skilled in the art these crown caps are formed of sheet mouth. Within the cap is located a disk of I i v compressible material, usually cork. In-the application of this crown cap to a bottle, it is essential that the cork disk be compressed against the end ofthe bottle mouth to tightly seal the same and that the skirt of the cap be so interlocked with the exterior of the bottle neck, near the mouth, that said disk.

will be held under such compression by the cap. These caps are usually applied and secured to bottles by machines provided with a bottle support, a sealing head, and some form of pressure mechanism for forcing the supported bottle and the sealing head together with sufficient force to secure the capto the bottle. v

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for capping bottles with a simplified and improved pressure regulating mechanism, which does not rely upon a.

pressure limiting device to subject all bottles fed to the machine to the same pressure during the capping operation, but which is so designed as to properly cap the bottles without breakage regardless of variations in dimensions." i

With the above object in view the several features of the invention consist in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter, de-

Specification of Letters Eatent.

WINKLEY,

Patented Mar. an, 191%.

' "replication and February 24, 1913. Serial No. 750,289.

scribed and claimed, the advantages of which. W111 be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

The various features of the present invention-will be best'understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the lnvention, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the lower portion of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a detail in sectional velevation ,o the line 4-4:, Fig. 6;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan, partly broken away to show underlying parts, on the line 6-6, Fig; 2; i Fig. 5 is a development of the upper part of the machine, and

Fig. 6 is a development ofthelower part of the machine.

The main features of the. preferredform of the invention may be. brieflydescribed as follows t p The machine is provided with a rotating series of sealing heads and a rotating series of bottle supports. 3 As they rotate the bottle supports are elevated from a. position of clearance to a position-of pressure by two independently operated connected- ,mecha nisms. One of these mechanisms brings the bottle and sealing head together with a slight pressure'to seat the head. The other mechanism is adjusted by the first mechanism to the height of the particular bottle operated upon and brings the sealing head and bottle together with suflicient pressureto properly cap the bottle. The bottles are automatically placed in position on the bottle supports, are held thereon during the rotation of the supports, and are automatically'removed from the supports after the comple tion of the capping operation. Each sealing head carries a hopper for the storing of caps which are automatically selected and cylindrical block of rubber (Fig. 5, position (2) held in a recess formed in a plate 2.

Each plate 2 is secured to a hollow tube 3. f

(Fig. which is mounted to slide vertically in arins 4 and 5 (Fig. 2) formed upon spiders 6 and 7 (Figs. 2 and 4). These spiders are bolted to a carrier 8 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is journaled upon a stationary shaft 9 secured at its lower end to a boss 10 formed upon the bottom plate 11 of the machine frame. Interposed between the boss 10 and the lower end of the spider 7 is a thrust bearing 12 to facilitate the rotation of the carrier 8. 1

Associated with each bottle support is a sealing head 13 (Fig. 5) secured to the lower end of a hollow arm 14 formed on a spider 15 secured to a hub 16 (Fig. 1) splined' 'Fig. 2) to the upper end of the carrier 81, The spider 15 is mounted to rotate on a led-gel? (Fig. 1) formed on the lower peripheral edge of a casing 18. The upper end of the casing 18 is provided with a hub 19 which is held in a groove 20 formed on a wheel 21 rotatably mounted on the threaded upper end of the stationary shaft 9. The upper end of the hub 16 is supported by and rotates upon a ball bearing 22 the stationary member of which is carried by a plate 23 supported by rods 24 bolted to the casing 18.

he rods 24 are guided by bosses 25 formed in a plate 26 secured to the shaft v9. With this construction the carrier for the sealing driven through a suitable clutch mechanism from a belt driven pulley 39. v

In order to elevate the bottle from a position of clearance to a position where the mouth of the bottle engages the cap to seat the sealing head on the bottle the bottom plate 11 carries a circular track (Figs. 2

and 6) which supports a series of rolls 41 which travel over the track during the rotation of the bottle supports. Each roll 41 is j ournaled in the arms of a yoke 42 depending from the bottom of a hollow plunger 43 (Fig. 6) arranged to slide vertically in the arms 5 of the spider 7. Each plunger 43 is I guided in its vertical movement by a strap 44, connected to-the plunger, which is provided with a lug 45 arranged to embrace a vertical pin 46 carried by the arm 5. Interposed between the bottom of the plunger 43 and a flange 47" (Fig. 6, position (1) formed on a fl'oating hollow cylinder 48 is a spring 49 ;cei led around the cylinder 48. Loosely pass g. through the plunger 43 and cylinder 48Y5isa'rod 50 which is provided with a head 51 for engagement with the bottom of the plunger 43. The rod 50 is secured at its 11p-= per end to a strap 52 which is bolted to the bottle supporting tube 3. Coiled about the rod 50 and interposed between the b-vttom of the cylinder 48 and the underside of the strap 52 is a spring 53. With this construction when the roll 41. rides up an incline 54 s (Fig. 6) on the track 40 the plunger 43 is heads may be manually raised or lowered to adapt the machine for the capping of bottles of widely varying heights. Each sealing head is provided with the usual flaring mouth and cap holder 27, the plunger 28 for compressing the cork glisk to tightly seal the mouth of the bottle and the dies 29 for interlocking the skirt oi the cap with the exterior of the neck of the bottle to hold the compressed disk of cork in sealing vertical movement by a pin 31 on the spider 15 arranged to loosely engage a hole 32 formed in a plug 33 which closes the upper end of the tube 30. The plunger 28 is normally held projected from the lower end of the tube 30 by a spring 34 coiled around the shank of the plunger and interposed between the underside of the plug 33 and a collar 35, formed on the shank of the plunger, which also serves to limit the projection of the plunger from the tube 30.

In order to synchronouslyrotate the sealing heads and bottle supports during the operation of the machine the spider 7 is provided with a bevel gear 36 which is driven by a bevel gear 37 secured to one end of the. horizontal shaft 38 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is elevated. During the elevation of the plunger thespring 49 is first compressed which causes the elevation of the cylinder 48. Elevation of the cylinder 48 compresses the spring 53 which causes the elevation of the bottle support. The bottle sup ort is thus elevated to bring the mouth 0 the bottle into engagement with the cap in the sealing head by a cam which acts yieldingly through J "the springs 49 and 53. These springs thus permit the bottle supports to be elevated through variable distances depending upon the heights of the bottles upon; the supports. 1 r

As the bottle rlses'under the influence of.

the incline 54 the mouth of the bottle engages the cap which is then gripped between the bottle and the lower end of the plunger 28.- As shown at a, Fig. 5, the plunger 28 is free to retreat as the bottle advances until a roll 55 journaled in lugs 56 projecting from the plug 33 strikes a cam 57 bolted to the bottom of the stationary plate 23 (Fig. 1). The head is now seated on the bottle.

In order to secure the cap to the bottle which operation involves the compressing of the cork disk to seal the bottle mouth and the interlocking of the skirt of the cap with the exterior of the neck of the bottle to hold the cork disk under compression to main aaeonee 1 x bottle is'forced upward into the dies 29 by afpowerfulpositively actuated mechanism for producing pressure which is automatically adjusted by the seating of the head to the height of the'bottle. To this end the bottom plate 11 carries a circular track 58 (Figs..2 and 6) which supports a series of rolls 59 one roll being associated with each bottle support. Each roll is journaled between the arms of a yoke 60 depending from a plunger 61 mounted to slide vertically in the arm 5. This plunger as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 is made up of six blocks 62 which are held together by a cylindrical band 63. The blocks 62 loosely engage a rectangular rod 64. connected to the bottle support. With this construction the rod 64 slides freely through the blocks 62 as the bottle support is raised under the influence of the incline 54 to seat the sealing head. After the sealing head is seated the rod 64 is clutched to the blocks 62 in order that the bottle supportmay be additionally raised by an incline 65 formed on the track 58 (Fig. 6, position b). To clutch the rod 64 to the blocks 62 two of the upper sets of jammed between the blocks 62 and the rod 64. The rolls 67 are normally held out of gripping position by apair of bars 69 which rest loosely upon'a stationary bridge70 se-' cured to the bottom of the arm 5. When the bottle support is raised by the incline 54 the anism for seating the head and the mecha-' nism for securing the cap to the bottle. The mechanism for seating the head thus measures the height'of the bottle and adjusts the mechanism for securing the capto the bottle in accordance with the determined height.

Asthe lift of the incline is fixed it will be apparent'to those skilled in the art that bottles of varying heights will be subjected to exactly the same pressure.

By matching Figs. 5 and 6 it will be apparent that-the roll 59 commences to ride up the incline 65 at a time when the roll 55'.

is engaged with the horizontal portion of the cam 57. This means that during the first portion of the movement of the bottle into a position of pressure the incline 65 'mouth having a larger diameter. also be apparent that if a bottle mouth, having such a large diameter that the bottle compress the cork disk to seal the mouth of the bottle. It will also be apparent that if the roll 55 continued to engage ahorizontal portion of the cam 57 that in order to interlock the skirt of the cap with the exterior of the bottle it would be necessary for the incline 65 to elevate the plunger 28, against the tension of the spring 34, out of the sealing head. This manner of bringing the bottle and head into a position of pressure would subject the bottle to the heavy pressure of the incline 65 plus the tension of the compressed spring 34 which would be excessive.

In order to permit the plunger 28 to Withdraw from the dies 29 without the necessity of compressing the spring 34, the cam 57 isprovided with a depression 71 having substantially the same rise as the incline 65. With this construction the plunger 28 resists the entrance of the bottle into the dies 29 until the roll'57 reaches the depression 71 at which time the plunger 28 retreats before the advancing bottle without placing tension upon the spring 34. The bottle is now free to enter the dies 29- which it does as the roll 59 rides up the incline 65. The skirt of the cap .is now interlocked with the exterior of the neck of the bottle to maintain the cork disk under its sealing compression As well known to those skilled in the art bottles, mouths and even caps, especially those of different manufacture, vary somewhat in-diameter. From an inspection of Fig. 5, position d, it will be apparent that a bottle mouth havinga small diameter will enter the tapered dies farther than aIbottlfi rigidly engages the dies prior to the completion of the stroke of the incline 65, that the heavy pressuredeveloped would break either the bottle or some part of the ma-* chine. In order to prevent breakage when the'bottle mouth is prevented from penetrating the dies to the proper extent the rod 64 is yieldingly connected to the bottle sup- "port.

To this end the tube 3 carries a depending bos 72 (Fig. 5, position d) and a plug 73 fitted to the bottom of the tube both of which loosely receive the rod 64. Coiled about the rod 64 and interposed be tween the top of the tube 3 and a spring re taining cup 74 on the rod 64 is a spring 75. With this construction the bottle and sealing head are brought into a position of pres sure by a powerful positively actuated mechanism which acts through a heavyspring, having under normal operating conditions no function, but which is capable of yielding to prevent breaking a bottle hav-- ing an abnormal diameter at its mouth. Gm

the other hand if the bottle mouth is abnormally small it will penetrate the dies 29 to a greater extent than a bottle having a norposition of clearance after the capping operation, mechanism is provided which acts simultaneously upon both the independent bottle support actuating mechanisms. To this end the track 58 is provided with an overhanging ledge 77 (Fig. 2) which engages a roll 78 carried by one of the arms 60. The roll engaging surface of the led e 77 and the roll engaging surface of the trac 58 are always parallel'to each other so that they operate positively to elevate and lower the rolls 59 and 78 with substantially an absence of noise. As shown in Fig. 6 the ledge 77 is formed with a cam surface 79 which lowers the roll 78 and its carrier. To lower the roll 41 and its carrier the plate 11 carries a short track 80 (Figs. 4 and 6) which is provided with an overhanging ledge 81 which engages a roll 82 carned b one of the arms of the yoke 42. Thele ge 81 is shaped similar to the cam surface 79 so that the rolls 41 and .59 are simultaneously lowered. As the bottle support is lowered the rolls 67 finally engage the bars 69 which ele: vate the rolls against the tension of the sprin 68 to free the rod 64. The sealing head 1s returned to a position of clearance by a camsurface 83 formed on the cam 57 Themechanism for storing, selecting and feeding caps to the sealing heads, illustrated generally in- Fig. 1, is not new and is nota art of the present invention.

ile, the mechanism for producing pressure between the sealing head and bottle is constructed to perform thecapping opera- 1 tion without liability of breaking the bottles, it sometimes happens that a bottle which contains a hidden crack is assed into the machine and is brokenl during t e capping operation. To conduct the liquid whic flows from such broken bottles out of the machine the spider 6 is provided with a peripheral chamber 146 (Fig. 2) which is drained by a pair of pipes 147 (Fig. 4) which lead the liquid to the bottom of the machine. The straps 52 on the tubes 3 are also each rovided with a peripheral chamber 147 ig. 2) which catches the liquid which .flows down the exterior of the tube 3. This liquid is drained'intothebottom of the machine by a telescoping pi e 148 connected to a short bend 149 carried y the arm 5.

In operating the machine thebottles are positioned oneat a time against fixed abutments 120, (Fig. 2) each bottle being placed on the empty one of the bottle supports measured, and the sealing head is seated on the bottle.

As the carrier 8 continues to rotate, the

roll 59 rides up the incline 65. Therod 64 is now clutched to the blocks 62 so that the incline 65 operates to elevate the bottle into a position of pressure. Durin the first portion of this movement of the l iottle the entrance of the bottle mouth into the dies 29 is resisted by the plunger 28. This brings suflicient pressure upon the top of the cap to compress the cork disk to seal the bottle mouth. Thereafter the plunger 128 and bottle rise together to permit the unresisted entrance of the bottle mouth into the dies where the skirt of the cap' is interlocked with the exteriorof the neck of the bottleto hold the cork disk under compression. If the bottle mouth is abnormally large the s ring yields to prevent breakage. If he bottle mouth is abnormally small the spring 34 yields. This position of the sealing head and bottle support is shown atc, Figs. 5 and 6. Thereafter the sealing head and bottle support are restored to their original positions shown at d, Eigs.

5 and 6, by. the projection 83 which acts on the roll 55 on the sealing head and by the ledges] 79 and 81 which act upon the rolls 78 and 82 associated with the bottle su port actuating mechanisms. The capped ottle is now removed from the support. The empty support completes its cycle of movement and returns to a position where it receives another bottle.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the springs 49 and 53 may be made strong enough to'measure the height of the bottle and compress the sealing material of the cork to seal the bottle mouth. As the variations in height of the bottles are usually slight it is preferred, however, to employ these springs merely to seat the sealing head, that is, measure the height of the bottle.

While the pressure regulating device is so designed that a uniform pressure is. placed on all bottles fed to the machine whether or not they vary in height, it should be understood that in practice such uniform pressure cannot be maintained for such bottles as may vary in diameter at their mouths of which there are quite a few bottles of difi'erent make. If the diameter menace of the bottle mouth be smaller or larger than the standard for which the machine is set, the pressure will be increased by the compression of the spring 34 or the spring 75 respectively, although this increased pressure is never sufficient to cause breakage. It is thus seen that in operating the machine the pressure applied in the ca ping operation is not uniform on all bott es in performing a days stint but varies in accordance with variations in the dimensions of the bottles operated upon.

It will be clear'to those skilled in this class of machines and with the general objects of the present invention in view,'that changes may be made in the details of structure, the described and illustrated embodiment thereof being intended as an exploitation of its underlying essentials, the features whereof are definitely stated in their true scope in the claims herewith.

What is claimed as new is 1. A bottle capping machine, having, 1n

- combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for relatlvely moving the bottle support and sealing head to seat the head, and mechanism for imparting a relative movement of predetermined extent to the support and head to bring the bottle into aposition of pressure with relation to the'head, substantially as described.

2. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for relatively actuating the support and head to bring the bottle and head into a position of pressure, and means for automatically seating the head and adjusting said mechanism for bottles of 'difierent heights, substantially as described. I

3. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle-support, mechanism for relatively actuating the support and head to bring the bottle and head into a position of pressure, and yielding means operating before said mechanism is actuated acting to seat the 4 head and adjust said mechanism for bottles of diflerent heights, substantially as described.

4.. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle sup- 7 port, mechanism for relatively moving the sealing head and bottle support to first seat the head, and mechanism for thereafter imparting a relative movement of predetermined extent to the head and support to bring the bottle into a position of pressure with relation to the head, substantially as described.

5. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for relatively actuatingthe head and support to seat the head,

mechanism for relatively actuating the head at and support to bring the bottle andhead into a position of pressure, and an adjustable connection for the latter mechanism substantially as. described.

6. bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for relatively actuating the sealing head and bottle support to seat the head, mechanism for relatively actuating the head and support to bring the bottle into a position of pressure with relation to the head,'and an adjustable connection between the latter mechanism and the bottle support ,forrcausin'g the mechanism to impart a pressure movement of predetermin extent to the bottle support, substantially as described.

7. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for relatively actuating the head and support to seat the head, mechanism for relatively actuating the head and support to bring the bottle mto aposition of pressure with relation to the head, and a clutch connection between the bottle support and the latter mechanism for causing the mechanism to impart a pressure movement of predetermined extent to the bottle support, substantially as described.

8. A bottle capping. machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, abottle support, mechanism for relatively actuating the head and support to cap the bottlecomprising a reciprocating rod, a plunger loose upon said rod, a clutch. connection for said plunger and rod, means for controlling the clutch, and means for reciprocating the rod before the actuation of said mechanism, substantially as described.

9. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a bottle support, a sealing head, means for relatively moving the support and head to seat the head, mechanism for relatively moving the support and head to move the bottle into a position of pressure with relation to the head, and means for returning the mechanisms to their initial position to relatively-move the support and head into a position of clearance, substantially as described. I 115 TO. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a rotary carrier, a series of sealing heads, a series of bottle supports mounted therein, automatic means for relatively actuating each support and its asso ciated head to seat the head,.and mechanism actuated by the rotation of the carrier and acting after the head is seated to elevate the bottle support and bring the bottle into a position of pressure with relation to the head, substantially as described.

11. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a rotary carrier, a series of series of sealing heads arranged to cooperate with the supports, means for relatively actuating the supports and heads to seat the heads, and means for thereafter relatively actuating thesupports and heads to bring the bottles into a position of pressure with relation to the heads, and a cam for causing the support and heads to be relatively moved into a position of clearance, substantially as described.

'13. A bottle capping machine, having, in

combination, a rotary carrier, a series of bottle supports, a series of cocperating sealing heads supported on the carrler, mechanism for producing pressure between "the" supports and heads, and means acting during the movement of the carrier to seat the heads and adjust the pressure mechanism, substantially as described. Y a

14. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, pressure mechanism for relatively actuating the support and head to cap a bottle upon the support, automatic means for seating the head and adjusting the pressure mechanism in accordance with the height of bottle operated upon, and means permitting the pressure of the pressure mechanism to automatically vary in capping bottles having mouths ofdifi'erent diameters,

. substantially as described.

15. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for forcing a bottle mounted upon the support into the sealing head, means in the sealing head for resistmg the entrance of the bottleinto the sealing ead, and means permitting the resisting means to withdraw from the sealing head to allow the unresisted entrance of the 'bottle into the sealing head, substantially as described.

16. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for forcing a bottle mounted upon the support into the sealing head, a plunger in the'sealing head arran ed to engage the top of the cap and resist t e entrance of the bottle into the sealing head, and means permitting the plunger to withdraw from the sealing head to allow the [unresisted entrance of the bottle into the sealing head, substantially as described.

allow the unresisted entrance of the bottleinto the sealing head, substantially as described.

18. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for forcing a bottle mounted upon the support into the sealing head, a plunger in the sealing head arranged, to engage the top of the cap, and means for causing the plunger to initially resist the entrance of the bottle into the sealing head and thereafter to permit the plunger to withdraw from the sealing head'to allow the unresisted entrance of the bottle into the sealing head, substantially as described.

19. A bottle capping machine, having, in combination, a sealing head, a bottle support, mechanism for forcing a bottle mounted upon the support into the sealing head, a

plunger in the sealing head arranged to en gage the top of the cap, means for causing bottle support, and a air of cam-tracks for controlling the operatlon ofthe bottle support and plunger having a portion of their surfaces arranged in parallel planes and provided with substantlally equal rises, the

rise on the bottle support" cam track being arranged to operate in advance of the rise on the plunger cam track, substantially as described. I

21. A bottle capping machine, having in combination, a sealing head, a. bottle support, mechanism for forcing a bottle mounted on the support into the sealing head, a plunger in the sealing head arranged to engage the top of the cap, and a cam coiiperating with the plunger constructed to cause the lunger to resist the entrance of the bottle nto the sealing head and thereafter to permit the plunger to be freely elevated by the bottle, substantially as described.

1,2 eo,4eo i 22. A bottle capping machine, having, in the support, a plunger slidably mounted in combination a rotating sealing head, a. supthe tube, a spring for maintaining the port therefor, a tube slidably mounted in glunger engagedwith the cap in the sealing the support, a plunger slidably mounted in ead, a roll connected to the tube, and a sta- 5 the tube, a roll connected to the tube, and a tionary cam engaged by the roll, substen- 15 stationary cam engaged by the roll, subtially as described.

stantially as described. ERASTUS E. WINELEY.

23. A bottle capfiing machine, having, in Witnesses: combination, a rotating sealing head, a sup- WARREN G. OGDEN,

10 port therefor, a tube slidably mounted in, BURTON W. CARY. 

